


Walter

by Haruprincess



Series: Charting the stars [3]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst with a happy ending... sorta, Gen, Mentions of Slavery, Non-graphic death, One Shot, Original Character-centric, Poor Walter, Prequel of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 13:24:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12300036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haruprincess/pseuds/Haruprincess
Summary: A look into our favorite first- mate's life leading up to him joining the crew of the Eta Ursae Majoris.





	Walter

**Author's Note:**

> I am actually kinda nervous posting this, but i feel it is important to know Walter's back story. There is mention of slavery just to warn you. If that bothers you please feel free to let me know and I can provide a summery. 
> 
> This is a prequel to explain the events leading up to Walter joining the crew. They are not happy events.

Walter held his breath as he crouched below the dock. He was trying not to shake. He had to get out of here. He had to get away from them.

“Keep looking, he couldn't have gotten far.” One of the men who had been after him shouted. 

“Damn bastard.” another shouted.

He looked down at his bloodied and rope burnt wrists as his hands shook. He couldn't let his mind wander back to what led him here, not yet. Not while he crouched in the mud and seaweed that collected in his hiding spot. 

“Damn I don't know how he got away.” A young man lamented overhead as he tried to hold his breath. 

“What happened?” A woman asked the men curiously.

“A slave went crazy and killed the Master and Mistress of the plantation as well as his own wife and son. Hes loose. Hes a monster ma'am” Walter heard her gasp.

“That is just awful.” she said quietly. Walter tried once again not to think about it. His beloved wife and their young son lying dead in their joke of a home. The son of the plantation owner standing in the room covered in their blood holding the knife that he had killed them with and laughing. 

They had captured him on the owner's son's demand. Turns out the owner and his wife had also been slain and the son was putting the blame on him. While they were alone together the owner's son had bragged about how he had carried out the murders and how he would never be caught. Walter fought against the rope that bound him and eventually broke free. He punched the owner's son and ran. He had somehow shook off his pursuers while running through the forest that surrounded the land. He had found a river and took refuge under the dock.

As the night wore on they moved on and Walter gained the courage to leave his hiding spot. He snuck into town and was spirited out of there in the back of a merchant's cart. He found himself across the border within a pub of a port town. He was drinking his misery away when some chatter caught his attention. 

“Did you hear about the ghost ship?.... Yeah it's anchored in the bay. I hear the Captain is trying to find some volunteers.”

“you serious? What is the ship?”

“The Eta Ursae Majoris. Can you believe it?”

“ Are you sure you're sober?”

Laughter could be heard from the pair until the first man cleared his throat.

“ 'm serious. There's some cabin boy down in the Mare's inn right now.”

Walter had heard enough. Maybe that was a lie, but he didn't care. He would go away. 'nothing left to lose' he thought to himself. 

The men were telling the truth. A young man was jovially talking to some men over drinks at the inn. His curly brown hair pulled into a low pony tail. His face hinted of youth.

“You there!” He waved Walter over as some of the men moved away from his table to their own drinks.

“I don't work here.” Walter found himself quickly saying. He mentally winced. The boy simply laughed and motioned to the seat across from himself.

“I should say not.”

Walter was about to snap at him. What was that statement supposed to mean? Did he think he was not good enough? Or more alarmingly, did he KNOW?

“You look like you have had a rough time. And a story to tell.” Again Walter wanted to snap, but the boy held up his hands. “I struck a nerve, I'm sorry. It's just your clothes are caked in mud, sir.”

Walter was taken aback. “sir?” He raised a brow.

“Oh good, you do talk.” The boy laughed again. “I was worried I would be given the silent treatment for offending you. To be honest you look like you need a drink. Try some mead. It is the best in town.”

“I have no money.”

“It's on me friend. Please, relax.” The boy once again motioned to the chair opposite himself.

Walter sat stiffly at the scratched and worn inn table. The place was warmly lit and comfortable. The smell of ale and the food cooking in the hearth mixed with the smells of pungent body odors from the patrons. He tried not to flinch whenever the bell above the door would jingle or whenever another patron would get too close. He tried not to look every time someone entered. By the boy's look of concern, he was doing a miserable job.

“Tell me your story, friend.” the boy prompted as a woman dropped off a fresh pitcher and a new cup.

“My story?” Walter grunted as he wrapped his hands around his cup.

The boy hummed an affirmation as he took a long drink from his own cup.

“Not much to tell.” Walter grumbled not really sure what he was thinking sitting with this boy.

“How about I begin? My name is Mason Pines, but everyone just calls me Dipper. I am first mate to the Eta Ursae Majoris' Captain and I am looking to add more men to our crew.”

Walter scoffed. Who was this kid trying to fool? Did he think him so easily lied to? The boy didn't look any older than his early 20s.

“You may think I am trying to play a joke, but I assure you I am over 50 years old.” 

“Anyone can say that.” Walter challenged setting his cup down none too gently catching the attention of a few patrons nearby. Mason waved them off turning his attention back to Walter.

“How about you join my crew. If you still think me trying to play you for the fool you can leave next port. It'll benefit us both even if I am lying.”

“In what way?” Walter asked after taking a long drink of his mead. The kid was not wrong about the quality. 

“We will have another hand on board until the next port in a month and you will get away from here. I see the way you are flinching about the door and I see the suspicion the people here are regarding you with.”

Walter topped off his cup as he thought. He drank this one quickly.

“Alright, I'll come with.”

 

Walter and a small handful of men were taken to a black wooden ship in the harbor that night. They were told to wait on deck while Dipper led them one at a time into the Captain's cabin. A few scurried off the ship when they came out and when it was Walter's turn he was led into the brightly lit room. A large man sat behind the desk in his chair. His flame red-orange hair and beard stood out against his pale skin. He was built like a man not unused to hard labor. He regarded Walter a moment before standing. He moved around his desk and circled Walter scrutinizing him. Walter clenched his jaw reminded of the slave market and how they would look at him and his family and friends less like they were people and more like cattle.

“Name?” the flame haired man grunted.

“Walter”

“Where are you from Walter?” the Captain moved back to his desk opening a decanter of some dark liquor and pouring a small amount into a glass. He took a drink turning back and watching Walter. 

Walter eyed the man unsure how to answer. The longer he stared the more the Captain scrutinized him.

“I'm from nowhere in particular Captain.” 

This made the man smile a little. “you look like you sure have a story.” The captain reached for the decanter once again though this time he poured the liquor into another cup and handed it to Walter.

“Not a story I much feel like sharing.” Walter took the glass with a nod.

“That sounds fair. Just a few more questions.”

Walter inclined his head to indicate he wanted the captain to keep going.

“Are you a wanted man?” 

“Yes sir”

“Did you kill a man?”

“No sir.”

“Did you steal?”

“No sir.”

The Captain hummed in thought strumming his fingers on the outside of his glass causing his man rings to click against the glass.

“You a hard worker?”

“Don't know any other way of life.”

“good man. I'll have Dipper buy you a bath at the Inn and we will find you something less...” The captain paused eyeing Walter's attire seeming to try to find a word to describe it. “slave.” He caught Walter's eye. “Welcome aboard the Eta Ursae Majoris sir.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to let me know what you think. As previously stated I was nervous about posting this one shot.


End file.
